Leader forming machine



y 20, 1941- c. BRIGNALL 2,242,341

LEADER FORMING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l F1'.1ed June 20, 1940 Inventor I(A JZzjz'fard 5714022 @21 May 20, 1941. c. BRIGNALL- 2,242,341

LEADER FORMING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1940 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ttorney y1941- c. BRIGNALL LEADER FORMING MACHINE.

Filed June 20, '1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 r 0 t n e v A iiomey Patented May20. 1941 Application June 20,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for forming leaders for fishingequipment, the general object of the invention being to provide meansfor forming loops at the ends of each leader with portions of the wirewrapped or coiled closely about the twisted portions which form theshank of the loop.

Another object of the invention is to make the parts adjustable so Afurther object of the invention is to provide means whereby fish hooks,swivels or other objects can be connected with the looped ends of theleaders while the loops are being formed.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination arrangement of the several parts to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in Which Figure 1is a top plan View of an apparatus constructed in accordance with theinvention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing the means associated withone of the spindles and a portion of the cam carrying shaft.

Figure 6 is a view showing the spindles with the wire extending betweenthe same, the guides and the means for holding objects so that they willbe connected with the looped ends of the wire.

Figure 7 is a View partly in section of one of the looped ends of aleader.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view showing how a swivel is connected withthe looped end of a leader while the loop is being formed.

In these views the letter A indicates an upright frame or table having askeleton top and a shelf I resting on an intermediate part of the topand is adapted to be adjusted toward or away from the end 2 of the tabletop, any suitable means being provided for holding the shelf in adjustedposition. A shaft 3 extends longitudinally and slightly above the tabletop and is jourtable top at the front thereof second rod 1 is adjustablyheld members is formed with the 1 cross piece 26.

naled to the end parts thereof as shown at 4 and an intermediate part ofthe shaft is journaled to the shelf I as shown at 5, this bearing 5permitting the shaft 3 to slide through it as the shelf is beingadjusted. The shaft carries a pair of cams 6 which have their cam facesfacing toward the ends of the table top. A rod 1 extends longitudinallyof the table and is adjustably held in a sleeve 8 on the rear end of theshelf I and a in a sleeve 8 on the end part 2 of the table. Levers 9have their rear ends pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of therods 7 and 1 as shown at ID, the levers extending across the table to apoint adjacent the front thereof where said levers have the projectionsII at the front ends. The cams 6 are adjustably connected to the shaft 3by a screw I2, see Figure 5, and a pin I3 is carried by each lever forengagement by the cam face of the cam as also shown in Figure 5. A pairof supporting plates I4 is slidably arranged on the and between theshelf I and the end part 2. A pair of rods I5 is pivotally connectedwith each plate as shown .at I6 and the rods of the right hand plate inFigure 1 pass through the horizontally arranged tubular members I1 onthe shelf I while the rods of the other plate pass through the tubularmembers I1 on the end part 2. Each of the tubular lubricant receivingmeans I8 whereby the rods can be lubricated and the ends of each pair oftubular members are connected together as shown at I9 and the outer endsof the rods are connected together by a A spring 2| connects each crossthus the plates I4 will be held yieldingly against the projections II ofthe levers 9 but when the front ends of the levers are moved apart bythe cams 6 these plates I4 will be moved apart and against the tensionof the springs 2!. Each plate I4 has a trackway 22 therein which extendstransversely of the table top and a small slide or carriage 23 slides inthis trackway. A resilient bumper 24 is fastened in the outer end ofeach trackway and a cable 25 has one end connected to a part of thecarriage or slide 23 and the cable passes over a pulley 2B in the outerend of the plate I4 and said cable has a weight 21 attached .to itslower end so that this weight acts to hold the carriage or slide 23 inits outward position or in a position engaging the bumper 24. The

carriage is formed with a member 28 which forms a stationary jaw of aclamp, the movable jaw 29 of which is formed on the inner end of a lever30 pivoted to the carriage as shown at 3| with the parts of arcuateshape. A spring the outer end of the lever 3|] with a stationaryrod-like member 33 attached to the carriage and this spring 32 acts tohold the jaw 29 in clamping engagement with the stationary jaw 28 so asto grip one end of a wire W on the carriage. of course, when the lever30 is swung away from the member 33 and against the action of the spring32 the jaw of the wire.

A bracket 34 depends from the inner end of each plate l4 and an arm 35is pivoted to the lower end of the bracket and carries a socket 36 atits free end for receiving the lower end of a post 31 which is held inthe socket in any suitable manner and a cable 38 is attached to thesocket and has a weight 33 at its lower end, this weight acting to holdthe arm 35 in a position with its pivoted end engaging a stop 40 andwith the post in vertical position. However, these parts are so arrangedthat the post can be swung in a direction toward the inner end of theplate |4 when desired, it being seen that the arm 35 projects beyond theinner end of the plate l4 so that the post is spaced from said inner endas more clearly shown in Figure 5. The upper end of said post has a slot4 therein which is in alignment with the gripping face of the jaw 28 sothat when a portion of the wire is passed through the slot said wirewill extend in a straight line from. the post to between the jaws.

A spindle 42 is slidably and: rotatably supported by the shelf and aspindle 42 is rotatably supported by the end part 2 but this spindle 42cannot slide or move longitudinally. The spindle 42 passes through thebearing members 43 and a collar 44 is attached to the spindle betweenthe bearings and a spring 45 has one end bearing against the frontbearing and its other end against the collar so as to hold the spindle42 in a rearward position or in a position where it will be farthestfrom the spindle 42. The adjacent ends of the two spindles are formedwith needle-like parts 46 which have their ends bent to form hooks 41.The spindle 42 is connected by a chain and sprockets shown generally at50 to a longitudinally extending shaft rotatably supported on a lowerhorizontal part A of the frame. A stub shaft 52 is supported by thispart A and a pinion 53 on the shaft 5| meshes with a gear 54 on the stubshaft while a belt and pulley arrangement 55 connects the stub shaftwith the shaft 3 so that the shaft 3 is driven at a different speed fromthe shaft 5|. At the other end of the main frame the shaft 5| has alarge pulley 55 attached thereto over which a belt 51 passes which alsopasses over a small pulley 58 of a motor M supported on a shelf 59 inthe frame. The shaft 5| has a gear 60 connected therewith which mesheswith a gear 6| on a shaft 82 which also has a'sprocket wheel thereonover which a chain 63 passes and which chain passes over a sprocket onthe spindle 42. The gearing is preferably interchangeable so that thespindle 42' can be made to rotate in an opposite direction from thespindle 42 be made to revolve in the same direction. A push buttonswitch or other type of manually operated switch 64 is provided at thefront of the frame for controlling the circuit to the motor M and amercury switch 65 controls or the two spindles can 29 will release theend 1 passes over the hook 41 of portion of mercury switch to close 50from. the hooks circuit to the motor. A cam 66 is arranged on the shaft3 for controlling the position of the switch and the parts are soarranged that the switch 65 will be moved to close the circuit after themotor has been started by the closing of the switch 64. Then the switch64 can be released and the circuit to the motor will remain closed bythe switch 65 until the cam 66 reaches a certain position when theswitch 6-5 will break the circuit and stop the motor.

A hand lever 61 is pivoted to the bracket 68 on the shelf and said leverwhen moved to the left in Figure 5 will engage a part 69 on the spindle42 so as to push the spindle 42 forwardly or toward the other spindle soas to slacken the wire between the spindles.

Each spindle carries a socket forming member 10 for a hook rod 1| whichis held in position by a set screw 12. These hook rods are adapted tohold objects, such as the fish hook 13 or the swivel 14 in position tobe engaged by the loops to be formed when it is desired to connect theleader with an object.

As shown in Figure '1 this device will form a loop a in each end of theleader wire 112 with the parts adjacent each loop twisted together. asat a. and then the wire is closely wrapped or coiled about the twistedpart as shown at a".

As shown in Figures 1, 5 and 6, one end of the wire W is held betweenthe clamping means 28 and 29 of the carriage on one of the slides orplates M with the wire passing through the slot 4| of the post 31 of theplate and then the wire the spindle 42 and then the wire passes over thehook of the spindie 42 through the slot 4| of the post 31 of the otherplate l4 and is then held between the clamping means of said other plate|4. Thus a the wire is stretched between the two spindles with portionsadjacent the hooked ends of. the spindles passing through the slots ofthe posts. The weights 21 connected with the carriages or slides 23 holdthe wire taut.

. The motor is then started by switch 64 which starts to rotate thespindles and said spindles revolve a plurality of times to onerevolution of the shaft 3. After the motor has rotated the spindles afew revolutions cam 66 will cause the the circuit to the motor whichkeeps the machine operating until the desired number of turns of wirehas been wound and the contact is broken automatically as the cam 66again raises the mercury switch to break the circuit.

The parts are so timed that when the machine stops the pins |3 on levers9 are at the high parts of the cams 5 so that the plates M are adjacenttheir innermost positions with the posts spaced of the spindles adistance substantially the length of the twist a. Then the switch 64 isclosed to start the motor which turns the spindles and this results informing the loops a by twisting the wire as at a. This also results inturning shaft 3 to place the cams 6 to cause the the twists a so thatthe wire will :34 during this movement so a pins l3 to engage the lowparts of the cams and to close switch 55. Then the cams 6 act on thelevers 9 to move the plates |4 away from each other and this causes theposts to move slowly along be coiled around the twisted parts beginningfromv that end of the twisted part a farthest from the loop to the baseof the 1001).. Then the posts 31 are swung toward the plates M, the arm35 pivoting on the bracket that the post will be spaced from the twistedpart of the wire to facilitate cutting the wire close to the outer endof the twisted part a". Thus a loop Wrapped around the twisted partthereof after the twisted part has been formed.

As before stated, this invention is mainly de I signed for forming loopsat the ends of leaders used in fishing equipment but it can be used forother purposes.

The spindles can be made to rotate in opposite directions when theleader is formed of multiple strands of that the advantages and novelfeatures of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in he construction andin the combination appended claims.

Having described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

around the twisted parts.

2. A device for forming loops in a length of a Wire comprising asupporting frame, a pair of spindles rotatably arranged therein and inlongitudinal alignment and having hooks at the inner ends for receivingportions of a wire, slides arranged on the supporting member, clampscarclamping the ends of the close to the hooked end of a rotating thespindles to twist the wire adjacent the hooks to form loops and meansfor then moving the slides away from each other to cause the guides toguide the wire as the spindles are rotated to wrap the wire closelyabout the twisted parts.

3. A device for forming loops in a length of spindle, means for wirecomprising a supporting frame, a pair of spindles rotatably arrangedtherein and in longitudinal alignment and having hooks at their 'indertension by the clamps, a guide carried by each arranged close to thehooked end of a spindle, means for rotating the spindles to twist thewire adjacent'the hooks to form loops and of the spindles with parts ofthe looped wire passing through parts of the objects.

4. A device for forming loops in a length of wire fcomprising asupporting frame, a pair of spindles rotatably arranged therein and inlongitudinal alignment and having hooks at their inner ends forreceiving portions of "a Wire, slides der tension by the clamps, a guidecarried by each slide and arranged close to the hooked end ofa spindle,means for rotating the spindles to of the wire having the loops formedat its ends. 6. A device for forming loops in a length of a slides toadjust the size of the loops at the ends of the wire.

'7. A device for forming a loop in an end of a flexible member co risinga supporting structure, means therein for holding one end of theflexible member, a spindle rotatably supported in the structure andhaving a hook at one end over which a portion of the flexible memberpasses, a slide on the supporting structure adjacent the hooked end ofthe spindle, a clamp on the slide for engag g an end of the flexiblemember, means for holding the flexible member under tension by theclamp, a guide carried by the slide and arranged close to the hooked endof the spindle, means for rotating the spindle to twist the flexiblemember adjacent the hook to form a loop and means for then moving theslide to cause the guide to guide the flexible member as the spindle isbeing rotated to wrap the flexible member closely about the twistedparts.

8. A device for forming a loop in an end of a flexible member comprisinga supporting structure, means therein for holding one end of the memberclosely about permit the post. to

flexible member, a spindle rotatably supported in the structure anhaving a hook at one end over which a portion of the flexible memberpasses, a slide on the supporting structure adjacent the hooked end ofthe spindle, a clamp on the slide for engaging an end of the flexiblemember, means for holding the flexible member under tension by theclamp, a guide carried by the slide and arranged close to the hooked endof the spindle, means for rotating the spindle to twist the flexiblemember adjacent the hook to form a loop and means for then moving theslide to cause the guide to guide the flexible member as the spindle isbeing rotated to wrap the flexible the twisted parts, said guidecomprising a post having a slot in its upper end through which theflexible member passes, and means for pivoting the post to the slide tobe swung away from the spindle to permit the flexible member to be outbetween the post and the spindle.

CLIFFORD BRIGNALL.

